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Pojo's Pokemon Card of the Day

Aerodactyl ex - Sandstorm


Date Reviewed: 10.27.03

Ratings & Reviews below

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating.


Heidi Craig
 Aerodactyl ex 2.5/5
Modified
I find this card has good and bad points.  The hit points and colorless attacks are nice.

Pokemon Body in the current modified format there are limited good Pokemon Tools at this point.

Supersonic does confuse your opponent but with evolution being popular, trainers that switch your active in most decks and the new ruling on confusing I find this attack not to as powerful as it should be.

Wing Attack deals 60 damage with 3 energy for an EX Pokemon I think it could be better.

Unlimited1.5/5
In this format Supersonic would cause your opponent some problems.  Pokemon Body would get rid of some useful Pokemon Tools.  With removals you'll probably never use Wing Attack. Allowing my opponent to draw 2 prizes once knocked out makes the benefits possibly not be worth it.

Draft 4/5
Very nice card in this format.  Attacks are great and high amount of hit points.  This card could do some damage and then go to the bench once it takes a lot of damage to stop the 2 prize draw for your opponent.  I would use cation with only 4 prizes in draft.
Heidi
Otaku  

Name: Aerodactyl ex

Type: Colorless

Stage: 1 (evolves from Mysterious Fossil)

HP: 100

Weakness: Lightning (Electric)

Resistance: Fighting

Retreat: C

Poké-BODY: Primal Lock

As ling as Aerodactyl ex is in play, your opponent can’t play Pokémon Tool cards.  Remove any Pokémon Tool cards attached to your opponent’s Pokémon and put them into his or her discard pile.

Attack#1: (C) Supersonic [10]

The Defending Pokémon is now Confused.

Attack#2: (CCC) Wing Attack [60]

 

Name: Fossil Egg

Type: Trainer

Text: Flip a coin.  If heads, search your deck for a card that evolves from Mysterious Fossil and put it onto your bench or put a card from your hand that evolves from Mysterious Fossil and put it onto your bench.  Either way, treat the new card as a Basic Pokémon.  If you searched your deck, shuffle it. (You can’t play this card if your bench is full).

 

Attributes: Just a reminder, but this is the term I use for the more or less “passive” parts of the card: basically anything that isn’t a Poké-Body, Poké-Power, or Attack.  I refer to those collectively as “Abilities”.  Now for the actual card.  Being an Aerodactyl isn’t too big a deal-a few decks will toss some in if they can make use of its abilities (usually a Pokémon Power or Poké-Power), but none have been spectacular attackers.  As such, they usually are only used in a deck built around their abilities (though there are some nice ones in there).  You won’t be replacing one as such with this.  As a “Pokémon ex”, Aerodactyl ex will cost you two prizes if it is KO’d, and is specially targeted bu certain card effects.  Still, as you’ll see later on, it is actually worth this price.  As many of you probably already noticed, this is the first Colorless Aerdactyl.  This is both a blessing and a curse.  I will go into a little more detail when I get to the weakness, but even aside from that, there is the fact that there are two cards (Unown N and Sprout Tower), that on their own reduce the damage done by a colorless Pokémon by 30 on their own, and stack together to reduce it by 60!.  Still, those cards are played sparringly, so it isn’t too big a deal.  One of the things that hurt the other Aerodactyls was that there were things Resistant to them and few Pokémon Weak to them were played.  As a Colorless Pokémon, they don’t have to worry about it, especially in Modifed which lacks Unown N and Sprout Tower.  Aerodactyl ex is a Colorless Stage 1 Pokémon ex that evolves from Mysterious Fossil.  As such, it has no direct competition from another Colorless Stage 1 Pokémon ex, though there are many Colorless Stage 1 Pokémon, a few Stage 1 Pokémon ex, two other Evolution lines that evolve from Mysterious Fossil: the Omanyte-Omastar and Kabuto-Kabutops lines.  In terms of type, the only real competion in Modified for it will be Delcatties (that I have seen) and Clefable/Wigglytuff for Unlimited Colorless Pokémon… but this card is used failry different from those, but could be used with them.  Similarly, though incredibly risky, one could use it with other Pokémon ex.  As for the other cards based on Mysterious Fossil, for most Pokémon this prevents them from being used efficiently together.  Not as bad here though: one can evolve a Fossil Pokémon from Mysterious Fossil, Fossil Egg, or Buried Fossil.  Buried Fossil has conflicting text so a ruling will be needed-it cites what it evolves into specifically, then says “anything that evolves from Mysterious Fossil”, but there is no other Stage 1 Fossil evolution no other Stage 1 Fossil Pokémon ex.  Some Omanytes and Kabutos have abilities which let them play other copies of themselves as basics, further lessening the conflict.  Why you would want to run all of them together, I don’t know. =P  Fossil Egg is my preferred way to get it into play: the text does not name names, just that the card must evolve from Mysterious Fossil, which Aerodactyl ex does.  So you can just tuck a few Fossil Eggs into your deck with maybe 2 Aerodactyl ex to use it quite effectively.  The only reason to use another method in Unlimited would be so that Aerodactyl ex could use Boost Energy, which may matter if the deck focuses heavily on Aerodactyl ex.  In Modified, go with the Mysterious Fossil.

 

Aerodactyl ex HP will do… it is a 2/3s increase of the more comon 60 HP we see on two fo the three normal Aerodactyls (the Skyridge version has 70).  I really wish they would have made it 120 HP though-it is awkard for a Stage 1 to have so comparatively little when the Basic Pokémon ex have almost as much as, as much as, or more than that.  It's Weakness is nasty in Unlimited (Pichu betcha! x_x), though now big Electric decks aren't too common in Modified... there a decks for it, but they aren't popular yet.  Fighting Resistance is nice in Unlimited (mess with Tyrogue) and okay in Modified (big Fighting is showing up more).  The retreat is only one... only a free would be sweeter.  Should be very easy to pay.

 

Abilities: Okay, first thing is its Poké-Body is a beautiful thing in Unlimited.  The two most influential Poké-Tools (and most influential of recent Trainers) are Gold Berry and Focus Band.  These cards are everywhere in Unlimited.  Kiss them good bye when Aerodactyl ex hits the field.  Best of all, yours still remain!  This is a pure advantage, semi-specific Poké-Body, but well worth running a Stage 1 ex for.  Tools have become that "reliable" Trainer, since you can attach them and just wait for them to go off.  Losing them is a big deal.

 

As for its attacks, those aren't half bad either.  First, we notice there are two of them, in addition to the Poké-Body.  This is the max you can have.  The first attack is quick and easy.  For one of any energy, 10 with Auto-Confusion.  Don't understimate Confusion-with just one retreat per turn, nearly no free-retreat deck foci and only one free-retreating Basic (the "error" Marril), being able to retreat normally out of Confusion was done to keep it from being broken.  Add in that it places 3 counters now, getting around self resistance (a perk older Aerodactyl's enjoyed) and Metal Energy, it is still quite potent.  Ask yourself, would you rather retreat/Switch out or risk not only doing nothing, but also hurting yourself?  Confusion is the only Special Condition that is both blatantly offensive and defensive.  The others are indirectly so: if something dies from Poison it can't hurt you, and a Sleeping Pokémon is easier to KO.  This little beauty will chip away at HP and make your opponent either waste a Trainer (or two), energies, or risk wasting an attack and hurting itself.  Its only manageble mid-game, where you a)have most of your "switching" Trainers available and b)have most of your Pokemon powerd up to attack.  Otherwise...

 

The second attack is just wonderful.  For those who don't appreciate Special Conditions, check this out: a flat 60 for three of any energy.  This is outstanding.  20 per colorless is double your energy input.  Attacks like these are why "70" is the magic HP number for basics. ;)

 

Uses/Combination: Okay, so its got some nice features, but are they that great?  Separately, not as much, especially on a Stage 1 Pokémon ex.  Look at them together though: we have overall inexpensive attacks.  One is strategic, the other is brute force.  Now factor in one of the things that hurts both attacks: Pokémon Tools.  We have ones that recover health, ones that cure Special Conditions, and the ever annoying Focus Band which just prevents KOs do to attack damage.  With them gone, what happens?  Things most vulnerable to each now have "dead" cards in the tools they used.  Let's do a thought experiment.  Your opponent has Neo Genesis Sneasel.  You have two Mysterious Fossil.  The Sneasel player KOs one Mysterious Fossil, feeling all confident.  You then evolve to Aerodactyl ex, drop a Boost Energy, and OHKO it... regardless of the Focus Band that was attached. See, a lot of popular "Big Basic Pokémon" have 60-70 HP.  With a Plus Power (not affected by Primal Lock), you can get the guaranteed OHKOs that those Tools denied you).  In Modified, tools are weaker, but you now have a nice, big, back up hitter that can use any color Energy.  Ways to enhance it are with anti-retreating Stadiums (like Mirage Stadium) so that the Confusion sticks, special energies: Recycle Energy makes it less useful to SER, and DCE means that they have to chose between doing just that or you attacking... and Boost means they still aren't safe.

 

Ratings

 

Unlimited: 4/5-Yeah, this is good.  You could base a deck on it (probably with Slowking for extra denial), or just toss two of it and two Fossil Eggs in so that you have a 50% chance of nuking all your opponent's Focus Bands. =P Yeah, I think it's worth it: this Poké-Body disrupts a major part of your opponent's deck and does nothing to you, and can be a back up hitter.  Just bring it out at the right time (namely to help insure a KO).

 

Modified/2-on-2: 3.5/5-Tools just aren't important for the majority of decks... however, here a 100 HP Stage 1 Pokémon ex that does 60 flat for (CCC) is really nice, so it could be good as a cleaner, opener (I likes Confusion), or even as the main attacker.

 

Limited: 4/5-Again, Tools mean nothing, but we have a sweet attack that can go in almost any deck (Colorless? Wheeeee!), with a "Basic" (Mysterious Fossil) that is great on its own, and it causes a Special Condition!  Oh, and did I mention that Electric is somewhat weak in Sandstorm while Fighting is pretty strong?  Just remember that it is a Pokémon ex...

 

-Otaku

Pscyhup   I remember the good 'ole days, when Wigglys and Blastoise were roaming bout. All the evolutions, and those days when I acutally saw Venasaur... And there was Aerodactyl from fossil, who stoped all those evolutions. Gust of Wind + Scyther kills it in one hit, but that all changed in the days of Chaos Gym. Now we have a new breed of these fossil dinos that looks meaner, and has 40 more HP. o_0 So that's the story of Fossil dactyl. Then came the days of Genesis, when a new breed of Pokemon called Feraligatr dominated the heck out of everything. After a while people learned to render Feraligatr useless with Slowking. That's when Neo Revelations came out, introducing the second Aerodactyl, a one that had the power of unlimited "Recall" (a trainer from Gym Heroes) that allows a player to use the attacks of the bavsic/stage 1 evolution on a higher stage card. This made some Steelix quite powerful, and other things with rage. Then came the Skyridge Aerodactyl, which is a piece of cardboard trash, so I'm not even going to talk about it, but I just did....

Well today's CotD is Aerodactyl ex from Sandstorm. This was a surprise that Nintedo pulled on the players. There were quite a few cards in Sandstorm that aren't in the Japanese ADV2 set. Aerodactyl and Kabutops ex were those two cards of the exs that Nintendo added. (However, Kabutops is in the ADV4 set, and I think that Aerodactyl is too.)

Aerodactyl ex [C] 100 HP

(POKE-Body) Primal Lock

When Aerodactyl ex comes into play, discard all Pokemon Tools attached to all Pokemon in play. No more Pokemon Tools may be attached to any Pokemon as long as Aerodactyl ex is in play.

[C] Confuse Ray 10

The Defending Pokemon is now Confused.

[C][C][C] Wing Attack 60

Weakness: [L]

Resistance: [F] -30

Retreat Cost: [C]

[ NOTE: Once again, this isn't the most accurate spoiler, if really are desperate for the real deal, I'm sure Mr. Accurataku has the exact wording of every Aerodactyl ever printed, and also of Mysterious fossil. =P Don't get me wrong or anything, but its actually kinda cool, since I'm way to play to put that many spoilers. ]

Aerodactyl ex has a great 100 HP for a Stage 1. Other than the fact that it is a Pokemon-ex, its 100 HP would be considered "good" in any situation. Its bottoms stats can kill it in unlimited, and the Fossil version has much more use in unlimited anyway. In the current modified, the only thing stopping this thing is the Manetric (one hit wonder) and the Electabuzzes (the ex one has a 50/50 chance of KOing this thing, and the Sandstorm will take it down in two hits.) Ampharos (Skyridge) could pose threat, but with Zapdos (LC) gone, there really arne't many people playing that card. However, aside from that, there really isn't anything out there. Being resistant to Hariyama (huge in my metagame) and having a cheap retreat are all pluses for this card.

Strategies with this card... Hmmm, there are quite a few. The POKE-Body should've been something like Fossil Aero's power that only works while active (that's what I seriously thought its power was going to be). However, the Primal Lock is decent, though Pokemon Tools aren't huge (unless they remake Band/Berry) then you should see a lot of people using this card. Gold Berry is rampant in unlimited, but that's no reason to play this card. The only huge Pokemon Tools in Nodified are Lum Berry and Oran Berry, which are two subpar cards that really are just potions and double full heals waiting to happen.

Confuse Ray auto-confuses for [C] that should do 15 damage, but the confuse bumps it down to 10. The one retreat per turn rules doesn't hurt the opponent at all, because all they have to do is to retreat, since there isn't any rule making it so you can't retreat in confusion. [C][C][C] for 60 damage is great for a stage 1. Armaldo only does 60 for [F][F][C], but then again, armaldo isn't a Stage 1 or an ex Pokemon. 60 damage kills buzz. Would kill Manetric but you can't attach Strength Charm. It basically takes down all basics, making it a good combo with cards like Boost Energy and Bounce Energy (maybe), but the fact that its colorless gives it some nice combos like Blaziken even.

Unlimited: This isn't the place where this card is best used. I can see why some people would use it, but then again this is an ex card, and anything that gets taken down by 2 buzz hits isn't good (unless you have adequate healing like in Rain Dance). Fossil dactyl overshadows this card. 1/5

Modified: POKE-Body won't be of much use, but its attacks are very nice for a Stage 1, Confusion lost its power, since retreat is now without penalty and fact that 4 Switch is in almost every deck. The second attack is a major force here, especially if you find a way to use it second turn (Elekid,Swampert,Blaziken/Juggler). Being an ex drops its rating. 3/5

Draft: Very nice card indeed, Mysterious fossil is easy to find and it can be protected on the bench with no gusting power (watch out for buzz/cacturne/shiftry). Its a force to be reckoned with, but then if it gets killed, you lose half the game theoretically, but if it gets you into an ideal position with your opponent on the defensive, then it might as well be with those 2 prizes. 2/5

Thanks for reading, and I better get to doing homework.

--- psychup2034
 
Thundachu  Aerodactyl Ex

Overview: The lowest of the EX pokemon in HP. Aerodactyl only has 100. But, the low HP brings some good things. First, only one weakness. Aerodactyl is weak to Lightning this time instead of Grass like in Fossil. The PokeBody:Primal Lock, prevents your opponent from playing Pokemon Tools as long as Aerodactyl ex is in play. And discards any already in play by your opponent which is nice. For one energy, Supersonic does 10 damage and your opponent is automaticly confused. Not very good with the new confusion rule IMO. And for 3 energy, Wing Attack does a solid 60 damage. OHHH. gg. Fold now ;/.Also has a resistance to fighting which can really come in handy at times. And a retreat of 1 for 100HP is cool. In My Opinion, this card ISNT worth the 2 prizes though for the ex power. Stick with the Fossil one in Unlimited.

Unlimited: 2/5
Modified: 3.5/5
Draft: Play it here if you can get it. I got beat by it in the Sandstorm Pre-Release twice. And another kid who played it in the draft won 1st place. So if you ARE able to get it and Mysterious Fossil definitley play it. 4.5/5
Hedge  

Aerodactyl ex

 

 

  I can’t tell you how many people I know that spell Areodactly incorrectly…. Oops lol  -_-

 

Without further ado, onto the review! (Hey that rhymes!) Aerodactyl ex, like most ex, is worth two prizes (duh!) So that cuts it down a notch, but this is still good. It’s weak to electric, which isn’t that common a type nowadays, so it’s metagame status is good. Auto confusion and 10 for one colorless is nasty, I don’t care what anyone says. Mirage Stadium and second turn Areodalcty ex is just  pwnage. Then supersonic finishes them off. Plus, you can boost energy this if you really need to, which could be a sneak attack power play. It evolves from a fossil….. bleh that’s a notch down for it in unlimited. I almost forgot! The rating system! So, with the scale applied, this card gets a….. 14

The major key factors in the judging were :
 

Being an Ex: -2

Evolving from trainer: -1

Being a colorless Pokemon: +1

And the good attack costs: +8 (+1 for confusion, +6 for the 60, +1 for the 10)

Combos…… Well, this card is pretty good just by itself…. With this and Armaldo you can really nail your opponent’s trainer engine. Or you could build a deck with this and Poliwrath (SK Fighting) and make it a confusion deck; Poliwrath covers Aroedactly’s electric weakness. Neat card. Try it out.

 

Unlimited : 2.5/5 – This card was saved by the fact that it is moderately quick, Sneasel dies from one sixty blast, and it stops goldberry and focus band from working. It still gets only a 2.5 though because of being an ex and evolving from a trainer or 30 HP Pokemon.

 

Modified (EON): 4/5 – This card kicks here. Sorry but Mirage Stadium and others help this card a lot, and while we’ve seen a low usage of tool cards, it could still stop short that pesky dragon that’s weak to colorless or the evil strength charm ~_^

 

2 on 2: 3/5 – Not as good here because while one is confused, the other can still attack….

 

Draft : 4.5/5 – Sweet. Here you can drop this card and say “oops gg”

Besides, if you don’t pick a mysterious fossil then take it anyway to 1. Stop other people from getting it and 2. To keep it afterwards

            Happy Gaming and spelling,  ~Coolhedgie


Bullados
 Aerodactyl ex

Attributes: Not all THAT bad. 100 HP, one weakness, one resistance, one retreat… He's weak to electric? A rock type? That's odd… Overall, pretty sound. However, I think that an EX evolution should have more than 100 HP, I'm thinking more around 120 to 150.

PokeBODY: "Primal Lock" Could've been better. The ability to stop all Pokemon Tools is not all that powerful, considering that in Unlimited you can use Slowking for the same effect, and in Modified, Tools aren't used as much. Pretty weak, but it can be made up for…

Attack #1: "Supersonic" Not bad. 10 and auto-Confusion for [C] is actually pretty nice. If the defending Pokemon has a retreat of more than 1, than Confusion is more powerful than ever. If it's less, than it's powerful, but not as much. Switch is the obvious counter card for Confusion, and most people will play it.

Attack #2: "Wing Attack" Pretty good. It should do around 40 damage for the cost, but it does 60. 50% more damage. Problem is that it doesn't do enough for an EX type evolution card. Remember that Mewtwo ex does the same amount of damage for about the same energy, has the same HP, and has his Recharge or whatever attack.

Ratings:

Unlimited: As I mentioned above, Slowking is better for trainer denial, and there are cards that are much more powerful than this is. Point is, it's not that great, except for a concept Rogue deck. 1.125/5

Modified: Again, not that great. There aren't that many tools played, and the attack doesn't do enough damage. It's a 100 HP EX type, which means that it's a definite 2-prizes for your opponent if your stuck with it active. Leave him in the binder. 1.25/5

Limited: Pretty decent. Mysterious Fossil is a common, and this is a 100 HP evolution card that deals decent damage for the energy cost. Forget about the power, it's worthless here. Just use him for the attacking. There is some pretty decent lightning in both sets, tho… 3.5/5

~Bullados
Patriarch  Now, this is one very neat card! The first came that came to mind after seeing it is one word: splashable (is that even a real word? Oh well...I bet there's a dictionary's worth of TCG'er words ^^"").

Unlimited (3/5): I personally like it a good deal's worth here. Since tools (Focus Band and Gold Berry) are so playable here, removing the use of these is a large hit to your opponent. It suddenly makes KO'ing Sneasel and babies a lot easier all of a sudden...

Modified (3/5): While the HP can be forgiven in Unlimited, in this arena, such low HP for a Stage 1 ex Pokemon is kinda hard to take lightly. But remember: in this format, it's still as easily splashable. Aerodactyl ex makes a good early game sweeper of tiny basics. The best decks, however, will treat this thing like field day, as their deck will be fully powered within five turns, max.

Limited (4.5/5): This thing is one huge BEAST of a card here! To deal 60 damage, or 10 and auto confuse...So nasty. Wailord ex is the biggest thing to fear here, though, so watch out for him in draft, specifically.

"The Cabal is here, and everywhere."
pERfeCt0nE  Aerodactyl ex


Unlimited-  With Unown N and sprout tower, he might never do damage.  With Electabuzz and other big hitters here, your opponent will take a 2 prize advantage before aerodactyl beats anything.
rating--- 1.5

Modified-  With Dragon coming out soon, this will be a decent card.  Salamence and the others all have C weakness.  Zangoose is a better choice though for that purpose since hes not ex and doesnt evolve.  His CCC for 60 attack is pretty good.  His power will hardly ever be used.  His confusion inducer attack will hardly ever be used either.  He can use Boost energy which is another plus side, although he probably won't be able to stop a Gardevoir/ex deck as well as anything electric.
rating--- 3

Draft-  100HP. Splashable.  60 for 3 energy.  I actually drafted one in the SS prerelease, but only got one M.Fossil.  I only played it once, so if you draft it, dont expect to get it often.
rating--- 4.25

2 vs. 2-  No use.  Theres no magical combination for him.
rating--- 2.5

Multiplayer-  Same as above.
rating--- 2.5

 


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